INTERVIEW: Jason Farndon Reflects On Under-23s Draw

Sky Blues Under-23s coach, Jason Farndon admitted his side need to be more ruthless in front of goal in order to put games to bed.

The Under-23s were pegged back in the 99th minute by Sheffield Wednesday in a Professional Development League fixture yesterday afternoon.

Talking after the game, Farndon was pleased with the dominance his side on the ball, but is looking for the players to take their chances.

He said: “I thought the philosophy of the club and what we’re trying to do at the minute, you can see it in the first team on Saturday and then today we’re trying really hard to dominate the ball and be creative and for the lads to enjoy the football, but we just wasn’t ruthlessness enough.

“It is the hardest part of the game scoring a goal. It’s easy for us coaches to say score, but obviously we would be concerned if we weren’t creating chances, but again it has just left us frustrated.

“Also we needed to get 90 minutes into a lot of first team players, that’s why they were involved and they got through injury free and got the game time they needed.”

In a very strong Under-23s eleven, the likes of Liam O’Brien, Tom Davies, Junior Brown, Abu Ogogo, Conor Chaplin and Amadou Bakayoko all started the fixture.

Elsewhere, two of the younger lads in the side caught the eye during the 2-2 draw against The Owls at the Alan Higgs Centre.

Reise Allassani and Dexter Walters, who occupied either flank, were influential in the game and Farndon was impressed with the duo.

He said: “Dexter looked really good and I think we needed to get on the back of his crosses, but he looked lively,” said the development coach.

“He’s probably got to shoot a little bit more, like a lot of the team, but he put in an encouraging performance.

“It’s been brilliant to get new players in. We’ve invested quite a bit in the development squad, which is good for the club.

“I don’t think we have invested enough over previous years but this year we have.”

On Reise Allassani: “He’s a real threat.

“He’s still learning the game and I don’t think people appreciate how big that jump is from where he came from in non-league, not like when Max Biamou jumped from the Conference to League Two.

“Reise has jumped four or five divisions and it would be nice to make that jump really quickly but, in reality, football doesn’t work like that so it’s really good for him to get games like this.”